Pets can be great subjects for your photos. They can be cute and cuddly or slimy but interesting. Pet photography is a booming business and there are a lot of professional pet studios catering to all the pet lovers who want to capture images of their beloved animals. You don't have to go to a studio to take great shots of your pet. After all, you know your pet better than anyone else and by following a few tips, you can capture your pet's personality and beauty in your shots.

• If possible, use natural light – indirect sunlight as from a window, or a bright but cloudy day would be ideal. Avoid direct sunlight, though, because it can be too harsh and the various details of your pet's fur or scales will disappear. Studio lights can make your pet appear too 'posed' or unnatural.

• Go to your pet – do not wait for your pet to move to you. Most likely, they will be too busy playing or running around to pose nicely while you take their picture. Which is why a lot of pet photos are of them sleeping or resting. Go to them and try positioning your camera to their eye level so you have an idea how the world looks like through their angle of view.

• Do macro shots – pets vary in shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. By focusing on a certain spot on your pet, you are showing off its uniqueness. There are details you notice only if you go closer. The scales of your pet snake might look exquisite with a macro shot. Your turtle's shell can be very fascinating when you capture its texture and cracks. Animal eyes are often the focus of shots because of all its intricate details and colors. Just make sure your pet is comfortable with you and the camera leaning so close to it.

• Patience is required – it is hard to convey to your pet how you badly want it to sit still as you take its picture. It probably keeps moving and running away from you and it is important to keep your cool. As much as you want to get that perfect shot, you have to consider how your pet feels with you constantly sticking this big object on its face when all it wants to do is sleep under the bed. A little pet psychology might be in order which leads me to the next related tip:

• Trick and surprise your pet – for your pet to stay in one spot, you can offer it something it might want such as rawhide or its favorite toy. The prop can even be part of your shot if you want. Pets also have this habit of moving their heads fast as they look around in curiosity. Surprise them into looking at the camera by suddenly calling their name. Timing is important, of course, because they will lose interest quickly and look around again.

• Show their personality – each pet has its own unique personality and there is no one who will know them better than you. Is your pet frisky and likes to run in fields? Go out with your camera and pet and take a picture of them running with their tails wagging in happiness. This could also be the time to practice doing motion blur techniques or frozen action shots.

The more you take shots of your pets, the more they will get used to it and there might even come a time when they will pose perfectly still as you take their picture. But until then, keep shooting and remember to hug your pet after the shoot for a job well done.